1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a device for launching unmanned missiles from an aircraft with a pallet, on which at least one container is provided to receive the missile.
2. Discussion of Background Information
Launching unmanned missiles from an aircraft, in particular from a transport aircraft, is referred to as an “airdrop.” Unmanned missiles are ejected from the aircraft during flight through an opened tailgate, at which time the missiles autonomously begin their own flight mission. Unmanned missiles of this type can be, e.g., cruise missiles or reconnaissance drones.
A generic device is known, e.g., from DE 103 38 963 A1. In this generic device three missiles arranged next to one another are suspended on an upper support structure of an extendible platform. The cross section of the extendible platform is in the shape of an inverted “U”, with the lower free ends of the vertical legs guided in a guide rail of the cargo hold floor of the transport aircraft. To launch the unmanned missiles, the extendible platform is coupled to a pilot parachute that is ejected from a rear cargo hold door of the transport aircraft. The pilot parachute unfolds and draws out the extendible platform towards the rear from the fuselage of the aircraft in flight due to the drag acting on the pilot parachute. After the extendible platform has left the aircraft, the individual unmanned missiles are uncoupled from the extendible platform and start their respective mission autonomously.
Due to the width of the extendible platform, which is determined by the lateral spacing of the guide rails in the cargo hold floor of the transport aircraft, the upper support structure of the extendible platform must be very stable so that it can reliably carry the unmanned missiles suspended below. This entails a large weight being attributable to the extendible platform. However, such a large weight results in the total load of the unmanned missiles transported in a transport aircraft having to be reduced, which is undesirable.
A device for launching cruise missiles by airdrop launchers from a transport aircraft is known from DE 103 42 565 A1. In this device, the cruise missiles are provided in several rows next to one another and one above the other. In this arrangement, the cruise missiles are guided in transport rails running in the longitudinal direction respectively by use of a pylon carriage on which a respective cruise missile is suspended. The transport rails are provided in a corresponding transport frame in the interior of the transport aircraft. The individual cruise missiles are individually drawn out of the aircraft by use of a pilot parachute attached to the respective pylon carriage, after which the pylon carriage is separated from the unmanned missile.
A similar device, in which the ejection of the missile is not carried out by use of a pilot parachute, is known from U.S. Pat. No. 4,256,012 A. U.S. Pat. No. 5,763,811 also shows a similar device, but for the ejection of bombs from a transport aircraft.
JP-A 04-260900 discloses a launching device for small spacecraft. This device is used for launching and starting small spacecraft from transport aircraft flying at high altitude. The small spacecraft is provided on a pallet held in the transport aircraft in a slidable manner, e.g., by the use of a ground rail. The pallet provided with the small spacecraft is drawn out of the transport aircraft by use of a pilot parachute, and subsequently the small spacecraft glides along the ground rail from the pallet to start its flight mission autonomously.